# Early, but growing evidence vaccines less effective against Delta

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-but-growing-evidence-vaccines-less-effective-against-delta/945775>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [July 6, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-but-growing-evidence-vaccines-less-effective-against-delta/945775 "2021-07-06T00:21:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 69

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-but-growing-evidence-vaccines-less-effective-against-delta/945775/69 "2021-07-07T14:22:21Z")

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> [@Lambda variant in the news](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lambda-variant-in-the-news/945784/7):
>
> > [@Lambda variant in the news](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lambda-variant-in-the-news/945784/7):
> >
> > You’d think that if the lambda variant was so transmissible, it would beat out the gamma variant from Brazil by now. It’s been around for nearly a year. The good news is that it is no better at evading immunity than the other variants.
> 
> The various reports seem to differ a bit in level of scariness, but two reports indicate that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are less effective against the lambda variant. I keep an eye on the news, I like to have some warning.

I understand. People will differ in reaction to imprecise risk metrics.

There’s a spectrum of reactions. Some will read “less effective” and interpret that as “_no longer effective AT ALL – not even a little bit_”. Some will assume “less effective” means “_a smidge less effective, no biggie_”.

To me, “less effective” are weasel words meant to make for eye-catching copy. Let me see the actual numbers, and from lots and lots of studies (one or two or three aren’t enough). When _ **consensus** _ is achieved among researchers that “_Yep, we need to pitch all the mRNA vaccines – they don’t work anymore_” … I’ll then perk up my ears.

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